State Representatives Stephen Hambley (R-Brunswick) and Darrell Kick (R-Loudonville) who represent Medina County, today applauded the Ohio House’s passage of House Resolution 85, a measure that urges the president and the United States Congress to eliminate the Auto Emissions Check, often referred to as E-Check.

E-check is currently in place in seven northeast Ohio counties: Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage, and Summit.

House Resolution 85 calls on Congress to amend the Federal Clean Air Act to encourage the administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to explore alternatives to the E-Check Program. The current program is often costly and burdensome to drivers of older cars and thus disproportionately affects families and individuals with lower incomes.

“House Resolution 85 is a good measure to replace the stale E-Check Program and help usher in new, innovative methods to improve air quality,” said Kick. “It speaks to the efficacy of a federal program when most of the counties in our state do not utilize it.”

House Resolution 85 passed with bi-partisan support with a vote count of 71-24.

House Resolution 85 will be sent to the Ohio Congressional delegation, the Administrator of the United States Environmental Protection Agency, the Director of the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, the Executive Office of the President of the United States, and the news media of Ohio.